SnarkolepsyOnSaturdayVille
We have now suffered the ignominy of giving the boys in the big money bag (see here and here) most of our large gauge railway and a whole bunch of tax credit default swap moola for almost an entire decade.
But...
The good news, I guess, is that they still haven't gotten their mitts on that 'tainted' bit of spur line to Roberts Bank that we've since paid the junior cronies millions of dollars per kilometre to 'run' ever since.
So...
What's left?
Well, North Van Grumps speculates that maybe, just maybe, somebody somewhere just might be thinking of giving away our small gauge stuff instead:
...Rocky Mountaineer, an operator of a tourist rail service between Vancouver-Whistler-Kamloops-Canadian Rockies-Calgary and back, has a proven passenger track record since its take-over of the BC Rail line from the BC Liberal Government in 2004. CNR freight division has experienced the same feat, with the same deal, but with no tolls being collected at bridges/tunnels, which would have gone to the BC Treasury.
There's a (potential pipe-dream) plan afoot to regain those lost tolls by having Rocky Mountaineer taking over the money losing Miniature train loop with the proceeds split four ways: BC Treasury, Rocky Mountaineer, The First Nation people, and the Vancouver Park's Board...
And why not?
After all, if you are going to give away all the large toll revenue why not pull a bait-and-switch and allow the Cronies and the Snooklandians alike to feel good about letting us keep a wee bit of the lucre that can be squeezed from all those families taking a ride on the last affordable train in Lotusland come holiday time?
(and just think of the photo-ops!)
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8 comments:
no please tell me you're kidding! please, you're not......
Norm Farrell wrote a great column about how the province isn't getting much money from natural gas. Then I read my local paper and find out, the province sent half the money they did last yr, as the Comox Valley's share of RCMP issued tickets.
They mine for $17 Million a yr in the pockets of children living at 50% below the poverty line, but they need about $12K a yr in a housing allowance. people on diability only get about $908 per month.
This government is seriously fucked.
a toy train..........they need to stop playing with themselves.
All my brothers were railroaders, at one time. Most of them had worked for the CNR. One of my brothers worked for the BCR. The BCR was a money maker and the Royal Hudson was their pride and joy.
The CNR was sold to the U.S. The BCR was sold to the CNR. You know? The BCR that wasn't for sale, to cheat to win an election? I believe, the HST was also in the corrupt, thieving Campbell, Harper mix. Wonder just who got their dirty hands on the priceless Real Estate, that went with the BCR?
Sort of like, the theft and sale of BC's rivers.
Anyway it was said? Selling the CNR and the BCR was for, the Americanizing of Canada. We even have American Police operating in Canada, exempt from our laws.
Another of my brothers, also volunteers for the, Kamloops Heritage Railway. He many years ago, was a fireman on the old steam locomotive trains.
Another of my brothers was on the TV program, Disasters of The Century. As the train Engineer, he had missed his call for a troop train, that was carrying troops going over for the Korean War in the 50's. There was a head on with a passenger train. There were many lives lost in that collision, including all of the Engine crews. Had my brother not missed his call, he wouldn't be here to-day. That incident bothers him, to this day. Someone else died, instead of him.
The current train runs counterclockwise along the track, requiring a definite left turn bias to get back to the station and the cash register. That won’t sit well with Armstrong or the other cronies. The route will require a major operational adjustment involving directional reversal and resultant changes to equipment, buildings and signage. Couple of hundred million tax dollars should cover it.
Probably have to wait for next April 1st to see the plans, though.
I don't believe you have to make this suggestion to give them everything, the BC Liberals have been working on this since they gained power.
Right on Lew,and don't forget that other one in east Vancouver that has a few hills and bumps.
And as for Lew's proposition...Of course, there would have to automated ticket machines...Gosh, wonder who would get that 'contract' and how much it wouldl cost us?
Hats!
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Recently the railroad in the Okanagan Valley has been in financial difficulty. No doubt being squeezed by the large players like BCR was. Boxed in so to speak. So the generous folks at CN have offered up the roadbed for a tidy $50 Million. Why wouldn't a reciprocal deal much like the BCR deal be brought forward? I'm thinking 990 year lease. After all what's good for the goose should be good for the gander. Now does CN actually own the right of way or is it just that a right of way, granted by the government for use, like an easement? At any rate Clark will no doubt cave and pay her supporters/CN for the easement to allow use of it for a bike/walking trail. And deal parts of it to friendly developer/supporters.
Once again BC taxpayers get "railroaded".
cfvua--
Thanks for the tip....Will have a look.
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